Professor Virk was born in Kamo Ke, District Gujranwala (1942). He got his Masters in Science from Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh (1963). He started his teaching career after M.Sc., first in G.N. Engg. College, Ludhiana (1963-65) and then in Punjabi University, Patiala (1965-79). He got his Doctoral degree from Marie Curie University, Paris (1972) in Nuclear Physics, working under French Govt. Scholarship (1970-72).

Professor Virk has published 377 research papers in journals of repute; 35 books in areas of science, religion and literature; 135 articles on science policy & reviews, etc. He has been bestowed upon by Punjab Govt. with Shiromani Award for Scientific Literature in Punjabi (1993).

Professor Virk has travelled through 50 countries around the globe, mostly for his own academic research in European universities, and its promotion in developing countries under TWAS Fellowship. He has published papers in many diverse fields, e.g., Radiation Physics, Geophysics & Geochemistry, Heavy Ion Physics and Nanotechnology. He retired from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (2002) but was re-employed as Director Research in DAVIET, Jalandhar (2008-11). Presently, he is serving as Visiting Professor SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India.

10. Academic Honours:a) "Most Honorable" in Doctoral Dissertation of Marie Curie University, Paris (1972).b) Senior Associateship of International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy (1988-93).c) Shiromani Award as Best Writer of Scientific Literature in Punjabi awarded by Punjab State Languages Department, Govt. of Punjab (1993).d) Won three First Prizes for Scientific Text Books in Punjabi medium, awarded by Punjabi University, Patiala.e) Templeton
Foundation (USA) Honorable Mention Award for Research Project: Global
Perspectives of Science & Sikh Religion (2005). 11. Academic Work:a) Published 377 research papers in Physical Sciences ( highest number in Punjab).b) Published 135 general articles on scientific subjects.c) Author of 35 books (original & translation) on various topics in science, technology & literature.d) Author of more than eight dozen literary articles in English and Punjabi.e) Completed 16 major research projects in Science & Technology in the capacity of Principal Investigator.f) Promotion of teaching and research as Dean Academic Affairs and Director, Centre for Promotion of Science.

12. Research Highlights:a) Supervised 18 Ph.D. & 16 M. Phil. theses.b) Proposed ‘Single Activation Energy Model’ for radiation damage annealing in insulators.c) Established Earthquake Research Centre in the GND University, Amritsar funded by Punjab & Central Govts.d) Development of Ion-Tracks and Nano-Technology and its applications in diverse fields.e) Average citation index for 10 Best Research Papers is 66.

14. Membership of Professional Societies:a) Fellow Member, American Nano Society (ANS), USA.b) Elected Member, New York Academy of Sciences, USA. c) Life Member, Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT).d) Life Member, Nuclear Track Society of India.e) Life Member, International Nuclear Track Society.f) Life Member, Indian Science Congress Association.g) Life Member, Indian Association of Radiation Protection.h) Life Member, Indian Association of Radiation Physics.i) Life Member, Indian Association for History and Philosophy of Science.